So how impossible would it be to paint an iMac a translucent color? Or, even better, make it match the ipod silver? I know, I know, buy a G5 .. but what if someone I know has an iMac but HATES the white color?

CRT iMacs? Swap the plastics. IIRC they all used the same molds, or at least something compatible. Other than those colors tho, it would have to be painted. I think the plastics were molded with the dye in them, so short of recasting parts (not unheard of but extremely expensive) you're out of luck with changing the plastics. I don't know if thats the case on the pattern iMacs but why anyone would own one of those is beyond me.

On the snow, and possibly the graphite you could hit it with a transparent enamel on the outer surface and get the same general effect. Any hobby shop that carries Testor's model paints should have some of the transparent stuff. The occasional walmart carries some of the transparent line as well, but I've only seen the transparent red at walmarts.

If you're willing to give up transparency then you could hit it with regular paint and some wax on the outside. If you've got a graphite you could get a decent effect using a flat paint on the inner surface, but you would get a grey tint.

For silver there are a number of metalic paints and glazes out there. Experiment with those on an old case and you could find something that works for you.

Painting the case is definatly an option and you could be suprised by the results.... definatly find a hobby shop (stay away from michael's or Hobby lobby) "any place that sells more do it yourself fake flower kits and picture frames ect..... find an honest to goodness R/C and model shop (planes trains and automobiles) and they will have a fine array of small spray cans of plastic specific paint (most all R/C cars come with a clear polymer shell you must paint) this paint is specifically formulated to bond with plastic of all kinds and it an R/C car crashing several hundred times in its hard little life to chip the paint then your not gonna have to worry about it on your mac. They have many translucent to darn right clear colors availible that would look awesome on the snow colored macs!

What about a mod where it's clear and the neck/arm is a clear tube with running LEDs inside?

There is a mod in the mods section on how to make teh G4 iMacs Black and not white, but you will never get a true "Clear" as the plastics are molded as a kind of 'frosted' color. Now turning the arm into something clear...... you would have to find a plastic set up that would be string enough to hold the screen and still be durable enough to be moved around a bunch..... Lexan or something along those lines would work...... hmmmm Very difficult but possible I suppose.

What about a mod where it's clear and the neck/arm is a clear tube with running LEDs inside?

There is a mod in the mods section on how to make teh G4 iMacs Black and not white, but you will never get a true "Clear" as the plastics are molded as a kind of 'frosted' color. Now turning the arm into something clear...... you would have to find a plastic set up that would be string enough to hold the screen and still be durable enough to be moved around a bunch..... Lexan or something along those lines would work...... hmmmm Very difficult but possible I suppose.

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